JUST WHEN THINGS WERE LOOKING UP

Well, our sort of disjointed season came to an end in the quarterfinals of the postseason against the Fairmount Griffins, the artists formerly known as the Art Museum. We lost by a 15-5 score, but hung around within striking distance until we ran completely out of steam in the final inning.

Timing is everything and we had bad timing with the schedule. A lot of absences that couldn’t be avoided added up to a thin squad, but we were far from embarrassed. Much thanks to Yvonne Dennis for finishing out the season with us, giving us distaff depth, and the veteran of the Daily News team glory days has indicated she’d like to return to the roster next season. So it is written. So it will be done.

The P&P softball culture isn't for everyone.

Also a good time to thank newcomers Jim Vecchione and Kate Hagedorn, whose rookie seasons were a wonderful fit for our team, both from a softball perspective and on the sideline, too. The Pen & Pencil softball culture, which can be described as being selectively serious, isn’t for everyone. You have to love to play, love to win, but also appreciate the twin gods of beer and laughter regardless of the outcome.

The Attendance/Blog Committee apologizes for its own absences this season, but stuff happens. Manager Mark Nevins has already agreed to a return engagement for the 2017 season – if you open your window quickly, you can hear him say, “I did the fuck not” – and that ensures another successful campaign.

We started out 8-2 this season, opening with a 9-6 win over a Bishop’s Collar team that included a disguised Walter Thurmond, former Eagles safety. It turned out to be our only win against a team that would finish above .500, which makes our season difficult to judge. We finished with four straight

The few, the proud, the losers.

losses, including the Art playoff game, but with the exception of getting smacked around by Catahoula, we were in every game. And the beer and the laughs, etc.

Please try to attend the league All-Star Game, which is scheduled for Tues., Aug. 2. (That could change if championship series is delayed further, but you’ll be informed if it does.) If you feel like playing, bring a glove. All-Star rules are a little loose. Otherwise, there will be cookout stuff and beer and a good time. I think it’s at Dairy 4 this year, but will get that out in the note, too.

There is a possibility of a friendly or two in August or September against various teams that would like an outing. So, don’t lose your glove. Speaking of which, I have a black Wilson glove in my possession. Fits a righthander. If it is yours, speak up.

As you were.

SUBS AND HOAGIES

Who are these people?

Yvonne.

Kind of an interesting last two weeks of the regular season, although the Pen & Pencil Club skidded toward the playoffs with losses to Bishop's Collar, Catahoula and the Nomads. They are the top three seeds in the league, and we did play two of them closely, but the story was mostly that we had some
key absensces that required a little of this and that.
Above is our Hoagiefest Night team, minus one or two, but

Katherine.

including the Anthonys Sr. and Jr. and Katherine Bonnin, local model and FOG (Friend of George). Katherine is on Instagram and I'll leave it at that. Also joining us in the hectic fortnight were Andy Schwartz, the pride of Colgate, and, back by special engagement,Yvonne Dennis, a legacy from the glory days of the Daily News team. Also, we had Keegan Craig, 14-year-old son of Keith, playing third base for us against Catahoula, and wouldn't it be nice to be 14 again?
That's a lot of moving parts for a finely-tuned machine such as ours, so maybe when we settle into the postseason, there will be a little more consistency. That postseason arrives on Wednesday against the Artists formerly known as the Art Museum, now the Fairmount Griffins. We have a long history with them and the bottom line is we always have a close game and this one isn't going to be any different.

Obligatory shot of Yaz at Hoagiefest.

The game is on the unfortunate plain of Edgeley 3, but we are the lowest-seeded quarterfinal, so it was sloppy seconds on field choice.
I'd love to have more details about the games in last couple of weeks, but I don't. I did see the book from Nomads and know that Anthony Sr. and Andy were 3 for 3, with a triple for Ant, so they helped. I can tell you that Yvonne hit and fielded well, as always, that we generally didn't do poop against Catahoula, and that Keegan is going to be fine member of our team in about 40 years.
Anyway, I'll substitute facts with pictures. Get your running in. Answer the head count email. Do everything you can to get to the playoff game. They don't allow subs in that one. Maybe hoagies.

Eventually all great careers face their sunsets and turn into mulch.

SO YOU WANT TO BE MY SPANDEX BOY?

OK, this is embarrassing, but whatever. No idea details of win over Franklin. I remember that Yaz hit a triple to left-center and I remember tearing my hamstring on a double to left and I remember that was very good reason to dip into the Vicodin afterward, but everything else is kind of like a Seurat painting. Lotta dots.

Let’s see. It was close for a long time and Nevins said, “It’s really close,” and maybe it was like 3-2

Ellen and P&P Hall of Famer Mike Galan, a special guest.

in the middle of the game. Wait a minute. Nevins caught a ball sliding. Yeah, he did. Miller did something. I don’t remember.

Anyway, we won 6-2. That much I know because it says so in the official league stats. This was a tough game because Franklin is really good this year. They beat a lot of teams, like Tap, I think.

Ooh, I remember something else. It was muddy. There you go.\

Got some pictures here. And a video of Yaz hitting a ball that drove the Gimp Committee home in the late innings. Enjoy the pictures. They look better with Vicodin.

Everyone have a nice Memorial Day.

So, hit it to left. It'll be a double. Sure, you'll rip your hamstring, but it's better than if I rip mine.